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Video: Poll: Support for Afghanistan troop surge up

Transcript of: Poll: Support for Afghanistan troop surge up

MEREDITH VIEIRA, co-host:So how do voters feel about the decision before
President Obama
that could send additional
troops
to
Afghanistan
? That was just one of the questions asked in a new
NBC News
/
Wall Street Journal
poll.
NBC
's political director and chief White House correspondent
Chuck Todd
has the -- has the results.
Chuck
, good morning to you. And let's start with that question. When it comes to what next in
Afghanistan
, how do the people that you asked feel about that?

CHUCK TODD reporting:Well,
Meredith
, opposition is softening to this idea of sending more
troops
. Last month a majority, a bare majority, 51 percent, opposed sending any more
troops
to
Afghanistan
. But as you know, it's been a monthlong
public debate
and we've seen the numbers turn around. Now you've got more people telling us they would support sending more
troops
, 47 percent, than oppose, 43 percent. More interestingly, we asked them various scenarios. And believe it or not, it's more acceptable to send at least 10,000 more
troops
than to not send any more
troops
at all as far as the public's concerned.

TODD:Now, the idea of sending the 40,000
troops
, the
General McChrystal
strategy, was the least popular option that we tested. But the fact that you have the public saying, `You know what, we can -- we can handle sending more
troops
,' shows you the president has a lot of -- a lot more leeway here than maybe some folks thought a month ago.

VIEIRA:You know, the president about a year ago was elected on this message of hope and change. Based on the people that you questioned for this poll, do they feel that he has come through with his promises?

TODD:It's interesting. We did a report card of sorts on various characteristics, 16 different ones we tested. About half of them have to do with
Obama
the man and about half of them have to do with
Obama
the president. And as a person he's still very well liked. His score averaged in the 60s, 61 percent on those personal, likable stuff; strong leader, inspirational, exciting. Then when you start asking about various things he's done on the job -- has he achieved his goals, has he been decisive, is he a good commander in chief -- all of those scores averaged in the 40s; in fact, the low 40s. So it's almost as if the public is saying, `
Look
, we still like you, we
still believe
in you, but where's the results?' And to borrow a phrase from the '80s, where's the beef? They haven't seen a lot of action yet. Maybe that'll change if he signs a
health care
bill, if he makes a decision on
Afghanistan
, you might see those numbers turn.

VIEIRA:Yeah, let's talk about the
health care
bill for a second, because that may come to the floor of the
Senate
soon for consideration.

TODD:Mm-hmm.

VIEIRA:And the sticking point has been, continues to be that public option.

TODD:Right.

VIEIRA:Where do people in the poll stand when it comes to that?

TODD:Again, we've seen opposition soften over the last month. For the first time, more people tell us that they are in favor of a government-run insurance plan, 48 percent, than opposed, 42 percent. But again, most of the numbers moved away from opposing it rather than favoring it. So it's still -- it's probably less controversial with the public than it is here in
Washington
.

VIEIRA:And next year we're going to be faced with midterm elections. Did this poll favor one party over another when it comes to that?

TODD:I tell you, you read this poll and,
Meredith
, you probably would come away and say, `OK, the
Republicans
must be in great shape.' That's what's sort of -- that's what's sort of a little tough to understand with this poll. The public very much wants change, they're not happy with
Washington
, they're kind of angry, but they're taking it out on both parties.

TEXT:
NBC News
/
Wall Street Journal PollOct. 22
-25,
2009
+/- 4.4%
Trust
in
Washington Only Some
of the
Time 65% Always
/Most of the
Time 23%

TODD:In fact, the
Republican Party
is now less popular now than when
George Bush
was still in office; and, of course, they weren't very popular then. And now trust in
Washington
at an all-time low. You saw those numbers that we just put up. That -- believe it or not, that's a 12-year low when it comes to trust in
Washington
. So there's a lot of sort of instability out there with the American public.

WASHINGTON — As the Obama administration decides whether or not to send more U.S. troops to Afghanistan, the latest NBC/Wall Street Journal poll finds that a plurality of Americans now backs a troop increase, and a strong majority supports waiting on a decision until after the country conducts its presidential runoff election next month.

Also, as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid moves forward crafting a Senate health-care bill that contains a public option — with a state "opt out" — the survey shows support for a government-run insurance plan is at its highest level since the debate began and opposition is at its lowest level.

Perhaps most revealing, the poll highlights the public’s disgust at Washington, with the number trusting government at its lowest level in 12 years and with nearly half of Americans favoring the creation of a new political party.

“I was hoping that business as usual was going to stop with the Obama administration,” said respondent Brian Gross of Poolesville, Md., “and so far I just haven’t seen that.”

As Democratic pollster Peter D. Hart, who conducted this survey with Republican Bill McInturff, puts it: “The mood in America may be blue, but the attitudes toward Washington are jet black.”

A reversal on Afghanistan
By a narrow 47 percent to 43 percent, respondents say they support increasing the troop level in Afghanistan, which is a reversal from last month, when 51 percent opposed the increase and 44 percent supported it.

In addition, as Republicans criticize President Barack Obama for waiting to announce his troop decision — former Vice President Dick Cheney recently accused him of “dithering” — 58 percent of poll respondents say they support delaying a decision until after Afghanistan’s Nov. 7 runoff election and after the country’s political situation becomes clearer.

“I am optimistic that he and his generals are taking some time to actually think through this,” said Andrew Maxwell of Los Angeles.

Yet the public is divided on what Obama and his generals should ultimately decide. Fifty-five percent say they would accept sending an additional 10,000 troops and training Afghanistan’s army and police; 46 percent favor not sending any more troops and focusing instead on attacking specific al-Qaida camps on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border; and 45 percent support withdrawing all U.S. troops from the country.

Just 43 percent support sending 40,000 more troops to Afghanistan — which is the recommendation of the top U.S. commander there, Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal.

Opting for the public option
Turning to domestic politics, the NBC/Journal poll — which was conducted of 1,009 adults Oct. 22-25, and which has an overall margin of error of plus-minus 3.1 percentage points — shows that opinions on the health care debate haven’t changed much over the past month.

Only 38 percent believe that Obama’s health plan is a good idea, compared with 42 percent who say it’s a bad idea, which is virtually identical to the numbers from September.

Video: Poll respondents have their say
But what has changed is that support for a government-run insurance plan is now at its highest level since the debate began. Forty-eight percent say they favor a public health plan administered by the federal government that would compete with private insurers, compared with 42 percent who oppose it.

That's a shift from last month, though within the margin of error, when 48 percent opposed the public option and 46 percent supported it. And it's a large swing from August, when 47 percent were in opposition and 43 percent were in favor.

Also on health care, a plurality of Americans (45 percent) believes it would be better to pass Obama’s health care plan than keep the current system. But a majority (51 percent) also are worried that reform might go too far.

McInturff, the GOP pollster, describes the public as “hesitant reformers” on health care. “They would like to see something done, but they’re not convinced about the current direction.”

Disgusted with Washington
Perhaps the most striking finding in the poll is the public dissatisfaction with Washington. Only 23 percent say they trust government “just about always” or “most of the time,” which is the lowest number on this question since 1997.

What’s more, nearly half of respondents (46 percent) support building an independent political party to compete with the Republicans and Democrats.

And nearly six in 10 (57 percent) blame both Republicans and Democrats for the partisanship in Washington. Twenty-four percent blame the Republicans only, while 17 percent point their finger at the Democrats.

Obama hasn’t been immune to this anger at Washington, although he remains the most popular politician in the poll.

His job-approval rating remains at 51 percent for a third straight survey, and 56 percent have a favorable view of him.

Yet the public prefers his personal qualities to his professional accomplishments so far as president. In the poll, Obama gets his highest marks for being easygoing and likeable (a combined 72 percent), for being inspirational and exciting (60 percent), for having strong leadership qualities (56 percent), for improving America’s image around the world (53 percent) and being honest and straightforward (51 percent).

“My opinions have not changed about Obama, because he's a man of integrity, he's an honest and trustworthy person,” said Carolyn Johnson-Josey of Atlanta, Ga.

On the other hand, Obama gets his lowest marks for being decisive (48 percent), for being knowledgeable and experienced enough to handle the presidency (47 percent), for being a good commander-in-chief (46 percent), for having the ability to handle a crisis (45 percent), for uniting the country (38 percent), for changing business as usual in Washington (38 percent) and for achieving his goals (37 percent).

“The president’s personal popularity is exceptionally solid,” said Hart, the Democratic pollster. “But the evaluation of his [job] performance is much more tenuous.”

GOP positive rating equals all-time low
While impressions of Obama’s professional performance are mixed, the same can’t be said for the Republican Party at large.

According to the poll, just 25 percent have a positive opinion of the GOP, which ties the party’s low-water mark in the survey. By comparison, 42 percent have a favorable view of the Democratic Party.

Video: Obama not rushing on troop decision
In addition, only 23 percent approve of the way in which congressional Republicans have handled health care, compared with 43 percent who approve of Obama’s handling of the issue.

And looking ahead to 2010 congressional midterm elections, 46 percent say they prefer a Democratic-controlled Congress, versus 38 percent who want a Republican-controlled Congress. Last month, Democrats held a three-point advantage on this question (43-40 percent).

The public’s opposition to gay marriage has decreased: In 2004, Americans opposed it by 62 percent to 30 percent; now it’s 49-41.

The public’s support for gun-control measures also has decreased. In 1991, three-quarters of Americans supported banning the sale of assault weapons and semiautomatic rifles. This past April, 53 percent favored it. And in this poll, 49 percent say they support the ban.